Folding leg or support for tables and other articles of furniture



Oct. 7, 1930. F. G. GARRETT FOLDING LEG 0R SUPPORT FOR TABLES AND OTHERARTICLES 0F FURNITURE Filed Feb. 11, 1928 MM W @L Patented Get. 7, 1930PATENT @FFECE FREDERICK GEORGE GARRETT, OF SOUTHALL, ENGLAND FOLDING LEGR SUPPORT FOR TABLES AND OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE Application filedFebruary 11, 1928, Serial No. 253,642, and in Great Britain December 30,1927.

This invention relates to folding legs or supports for tables and otherarticles of furniture.

An object of the invention is to provide hinge connections between thelegs and the body of the table or the like (hereinafter briefly termedtable) so arranged as to hold the legs rigidly and positively whenextended. Another object is to provide a table with legs adapted to foldon it without the necessity of using crossbars or oblique struts tomaintain the legs firmly in the extended position. Another object is toenable the legs to be opened out and collapsed at will in an easy andsimple manner. Another object is to minimize the space occupied by thetable when folded for storage, by reducing the aggregate thickness ofthe table when foldedto the SUHI' of the thickness of the table and itslegs, that is to say, by avoiding any outstanding projection from thelegs when folded. Other objects and advantages of the invention will begathered from the a following description read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings giving an example of construction in which 2-Figure 1 represents in perspective a table embodying this invention.

V Figure 2 is a fragmentary view representing a portion of the corner ofa table to which the legs are attached in accordance with the invention.

Figure 3 is an elevation, partly in section on the line 3, in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an elevation, partly in section on the line 4, in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an inverted plan illustrating one of the legs and a portionof theunderside of one corner of the table.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a hook detached which is shown inposition inother figures.

In the example given A indicates the table top, B a stiffening frame orfillet secured to the underside of the table, C a hinge plate rigidlysecured to the fillet B, D the ordinary movable plate of the hingesecured to a wooden or other cross-bar or yoke E which carries twoadjacent legs F, G (Figure 1). A similar yoke is assumed to carry thetwo opposite legs H, J, one pair of legs being arranged to foldalongside the opposite pair. Each leg is provided with a hook K. Thishook may be made from a strip of fiat metal bent in three places as seenin Figure 6. On

the side of the movable hinge plate D adjacent to the leg a locking barM is pivoted in such manner that it can swing in a plane at rightanglesto the movement of the leg in the folding of the latter, this bar beingadapted to engage the hook K when the leg is extended, and thus to holdthe leg rigidly in the open position. The movable plate D may beprovided with a flange (7 to which the locking bar M is hinged. Thelocking bar may be channel-shaped in cross section, and a spring N maybe confined between the flange d and the web of the channel to throw thesaid bar into its locked position, that is, into the hook K,automatically when the leg is turned into its operative position; thisspring may for instance be coiled round the pivot on which the lockingbar turns.

The fixed hinge plate C may be of such length that its end registers inthe channel or other recessed part of the locking bar M when the latteris in its vertical or operative position. thus providing a doublelocking of the leg in position, namely between the bar and thevhook Kand between the bar and the hinge plate, the end of the bar beingdisengaged from the hinge plate when laid in its horizontal position.

When two adjacent bars M are turned by hand into their folded positionsagainst the resistance of their springs N, the'legs with which theyareassociated are set free to fold inwardly, that is, at right angles tothe folded locking bars, which are then lying between the yoke E and thetable top A in the recess enclosed by the fillet B.

The locking bar, hook and hinge plates can be formed by stamping andbending sheet metal in known manner.

It will be seen that by the construction above described the aforesaidobjects of the invention can be attained in a practical and inexpensivemanner.

Although I h ave herein described the mode of giving Practical efiect toinvention I ters Patent of the United States is (iii 1. In an article offurniture such as a table, a fillet projecting downwardly from theunder-side of said article, a plate fixed on the inner side of saidfillet, a second plate hinged at its upper edge to the lower part of thefirst named plate and carrying a pivot pin, a support secured to saidsecond plate, a brace angularly movable on said pivot pin in a verticalplane, said brace being adapted to be placed parallel with said supportto engage both said support and said fillet to prevent said supportturning on its hinge. and said brace being also adapted to be turned onits pivot out of said engagement to permit said support to turn on itshinge into a horizontal position.

2. In a table, a hinge plate fixed to the body thereof, a second hingeplate connected with a leg of said table and pivotally movable on saidfirst named hinge plate, whereby said leg can be moved through an arc ofapproximately 90 degrees between a horizontal and a vertical position inrelation to the said table, a hook on said leg, a brace pivotallyconnected with said second hinge plate and movable into a substantiallyvertical position to engage said hook and said fixed hinge plate, saidbrace being also movable through an arc of approximately 90 de grees ina plane at right angles to the plane of movement of said leg to liebetween said leg and said table.

3. In a table. a fillet projecting downwardly from the underside of saidtable, a yoke hinged to said fillet, two legs rigidly connected withsaid yoke, said yoke being provided with two normally horizontal pivots,braces movable about said pivots adapted to engage said fillet and alsoeach adapted to engage one of said legs to maintain said legs invertical position, said braces being also adapted to be turned towardseach other to permit said yoke and legs to be folded a.

wards the underside of the table.

In a table, a fillet projecting downward- Iv from the unders de ofsaidtable, a hinge plate fixed to said fillet and having an exten-'sion. a second hinge plate rigidly connected with a leg of said tableand pivotally movable on said first named hinge plate, a normallyhorizontal pivot on said movable hinge plate, a brace movable about saidpivot to engage said leg and said fixed hinge plate to prevent movementof said second hinge plate,

said brace having a recess in which the extension on the fixed hingeplate registers, said brace being also movable about said pivot topermit movement of the second hinge plate and leg in folding said leg.

5. In a table as in claim l, a hook on the leg, and a brace channelshaped in cross section adapted to register in said hook in theoperative position in which the top of said brace is in register withthe hinge extension.

6. In a table, a fillet projecting downward ly from the underside ofsaid table. a hinge plate fixed to said fillet, a second hinge platerigidly connected with a leg of said table and pivotally movable on saidfirst named hinge plate, a normally horizontal pivot on said movablehinge plate, a brace movable about said pivot to engage said leg andsaid fixed hinge plate to prevent movement of said leg, a. springconfined between said brace and, said movable hinge plate tending tothrow said brace into its operative position, said brace being movableinto a transverse position relatively to said leg against the resistanceof said spring to permit folding of said leg about its hinge.

7. A table having on its underside a fixed vertical hinge plate, asupport hinged to the lower part of said hinge plate, said support beingadapted be placed in a vertical operative position and also beingadapted to be folded under the table. a brace pivoted on said support,said brace being adapted to be turned to a position parallel with saidsup port and co-operating with said fixed hinge plate to prevent foldingof the support, and said brace also being adapted to be turned to aposition transverse to said support and clear of said fived hinge plateto permit folding of the support.

FREDERICK GEORGE GARRETT.

